The Stray in the Potato Pot
by fikixbear
Summary: Jason Todd comes home to find firefighters outside the apartment he shares with his girlfriend Raven Roth. Obviously she wasn't using the stove, so what could have set the fire alarms off? It's set in an AU and just a one shot. Clearly I don't know how to title my stories. Raven&Red X Written for Bleeding Writer. Cover art by Xaphrin, inspired by the story.


It wasn't unusual for Jason Todd to do the grocery shopping alone when it came to restocking the cupboards and refrigerator at the apartment he shared with Raven Roth. Occasionally she'd come along when she was free, but he did the majority of the cooking, as Raven's kitchen skills were almost nonexistent. Before meeting Jason, she was content with living on take out and fruit snacks. Even before he moved in, he would occasionally cook her dinner. He figured his culinary skills would do wonders for winning her over, though if asked, she would admit his cooking skills weren't a big factor in the way she fell for him. It was a nice perk, of course, but far from the only reason. When they made the decision to take the next step in their relationship, he made sure the cupboards were never empty, for his sake, along with hers. It was a weekly thing, the usual.

However, it was definitely not usual to come home and find a fire engine outside.

Jason's heart slammed against his ribcage in a panic, immediately contemplating dropping the bags in his arms and sprinting up the stairs to their door to make sure his girlfriend was alright, regardless of it the apartment was in flames. Her voice broke through his thoughts and his gaze snapped towards the sound. The tension in his shoulders released and he let out a breath. He made his way over, trying not to appear fussy. The ash on her hands and a smear on her cheek was troubling, especially since he didn't smell flames. He only caught the end of the conversation.

"I understand. Next time I'll be more careful when keeping papers near the stove."

Jason stayed silent, not quite ready to call her out on her lie. Raven didn't normally touch the stove, and the idea that she was careless enough to let papers burn was unlikely. The firefighter's eyes focused on Jason as he approached, Raven's following the motion and landing on her boyfriend. Figuring things were taken care of, he nodded and excused himself. Jason pressed a kiss to Raven's temple and nudged her gently with his hip, signaling that they should go inside.

They entered the apartment and he set the bags on the counter, giving her a few moments to offer an explanation. He watched out of the corner of his eye, noticing her shifting her weight and looking anywhere but him.

"Okay, what happened?"

Raven's eyes finally found his and she chewed on her lower lip a moment, trying to buy herself time to think of what to say. His eyes darted to her lips before meeting her eyes. He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. Despite his previous panic, he was perfectly calm at the moment, letting her take her time, still waiting for the explanation. The way she looked like a child with their hand caught in the cookie jar was cute, but he didn't let the thought distract him.

"Raven."

Her name leaving his lips seemed to be enough for her to offer an explanation.

"I found a bird outside. It was limping around and I couldn't just let a cat get it."

Jason ran his hand through his hair, letting out a sigh. "Raven, we /just/ found a home for the Jackalope you brought home two months ago. We don't need a bird that breathes fire."

Raven crossed her arms, eyes narrowing slightly in annoyance at his tone. She felt defensive. It wasn't like she was a hoarder. Maybe she had a problem, but it could always be worse. She sniffed a moment, before offering an explanation.

"Alexander doesn't breathe fire..." A pause. "He's a Phoenix who happened to combust a few minutes after I brought him inside."

Jason knew better than to assume she was making it up. He may only be a human, but his half demon girlfriend had him convinced that anything and everything could exist. He was absolutely shocked by the Cerberus puppy she brought home one night. Then there were the various dragon eggs they'd hatched together. Not to mention the Gryphon he found in their bedroom after coming home early one night. Most recently, he'd helped care for the Jackalope she bought off a shady man walking home from a date night because Raven was convinced the animal was afraid of the man, which meant it was her duty as an animal lover to take him home. He knew he likely should tell her no more animals, but the way she cared for them was admirable. More than once he's found himself thinking about how she would be raising a child, once she finally retired from the Titans. They'd never talked about it, but that didn't stop him from noticing her maternal instincts.

He hadn't noticed her moving at first, lost in his thoughts, until she reached under the sink and pulled back one of the large pots he was planning on using to boil potatoes. She set it on the counter and stepped back, looking at him expectantly. Jason sighed and complied, making his way over to peer into the pot. There, in a pile of ashes, a bald little bird head poked out and squinted in the light. His eyes fell on Jason and it cooed softly.

"He likes you."

Jason glanced over at Raven, eyes falling on the ashes still smeared on her cheek. Her eyes held an innocence he admired. Despite everything she'd been through, and every reason she was given to give up, she was still able to hope. She gave him reason to hope too. Even if he wished the plea in her eyes wasn't to add another pet to their living arrangements. He stepped closer to Raven and reached to gently wipe the ash from her skin. His hand remained cradling her cheek, while his other found her hip.

"You know can't keep him." He offered a small smile, unable to help teasing her a bit. "Especially if he's taking up real estate in my potato pot."

Raven pressed up on her toes to kiss his lips. She knew they wouldn't be able to keep an immortal pet, but that didn't mean she couldn't press her luck a bit.

"You know, potatoes are a pretty important part of dinner…"

Jason knew that tone well. He leaned in to peck her nose and pull back to reach in his pocket for the phone. He looked through his pocket and tapped the name on the screen. His eyes found Raven's back, watching her look into the pot and knowing she was smiling down at the phoenix with warm eyes, reserved for animals, children, and him.

"Yes. I'd like to place an order for take out."


End file.
